My 3-Year Journey with XPeng Motors in Guangdong, China

Last week, I received a system notification from the company: on my third anniversary of joining, I have become a Kun.

At Xpeng Motors, we foster a culture characterized by 'three years to Kun, five years to Peng,' symbolizing the company's aspirations for talent development and internal training systems.

In Chinese lore, there's a creature in the Northern Ocean, a fish of immeasurable size, known as Kun, its length unknown, spanning thousands of miles. This Kun undergoes a magnificent transformation to become a bird named Peng—a Peng whose back stretches equally vast. Suppose when it decides to soar, its wings envelop the skies like clouds shrouding the heavens, flying towards the Southern Pole amidst stirring seas and rising winds.

The Kun is often seen as the immense fish, and the Peng as the great bird it becomes; they symbolize ambitions no less grand, a call to vie through adversities, aiming for higher realms and broader horizons. Moreover, these embody the considerable changes and growth things undergo through development.

This year, I finally swam to the surface and began to look towards the sky.

Life Here

This is my third year living in Guangzhou, China. Hailing from a northern city of China, where the seasons change distinctively and in orderly succession, Guangzhou feels like an everlasting midsummer abode to me.

Upon my first encounter with Guangzhou, I was struck by its rich and vivid earthly atmosphere. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says: "Food is the paramount necessity of the people." Indeed, dining may well be the most hearth-centered affair. With its unique and abundant culinary culture, Guangzhou warmly welcomes every traveler from afar.

I still remember one night when I first arrived in this city. It was past ten o'clock and I was hungry. So I went out to try my luck and look for a restaurant. Unexpectedly, the outside was ablaze with lights and bustling with excitement. The late-night food stalls here stay open until two or three in the morning. I got a feeling that this city will never let anyone go hungry. With a wide variety and distinctive flavors, it can always satisfy hungry stomachs from all corners of the world.

Not only the food, it can also soothe the soul. Nearby, places like Qingyuan and Conghua are sublime havens for hot springs and rafting — just an hour's drive away. You can plan sea-viewing trips to Huizhou or savory sojourns to Chaozhou to taste the beef over a relaxing weekend.

You can also enjoy the night view of the Pearl River and chat and date with friends in the bars in Pati. Here, individuals from all over the globe converge, speaking an array of languages. As the sunset drapes over the Pearl River, the city immerses in a tipsy charm, everyone basking in the joyous moments beside the misty night river shoreline.

Guangzhou, a super-metropolis of China yet often seen as the most cost-effective among its peers, embodies inclusivity and openness to all in various senses, truly broad and open-hearted.

Work Here

Thanks to the job rotation opportunities provided by the company, over the past 3 years, I have had the fortune to delve into various business sectors such as SSC, recruitment, and HRBP. I have interfaced with numerous business lines, including domestic and international marketing, R&D, automotive design, etc., and have also met many excellent professional mentors in the process. As such, I have been able to gain a deeper understanding of the company from various perspectives, from its vision to the actual business processes.

When it comes to the working experience here, the most profound is the trait of a startup company: You can clearly feel that you are growing together with the company. This track is in its infancy. The enterprises involved are like products that have not yet been packaged and sealed. You can still participate in its definition with your own genes.

When I joined this company in 2021, I wasn't fully clear on the path I had chosen. Although the development of new energy vehicles had already been underway for some time, in terms of the overall industry progression, it was still far from mature.

Since the dawn of the 21st century, with the global spotlight on environmental protection and sustainable development continuously ascending, the advancement of new energy vehicles has increasingly gained attention. Governments around the world have been unveiling policies to encourage the research and promotion of new energy vehicles. Before 2015, China's new energy vehicles entered a rapid development phase early on, buoyed by a series of government subsidies and support. It wasn't until 15 years later, as the government started tightening subsidy policies, that companies with real technology and determination began to gradually stand out in the arena.

XPeng Motors, founded in 2014, is one of the few companies that entered this field early and has managed to hold its position through intense competition.

The competition among new energy vehicle enterprises normally revolves around overall vehicle performance, battery technology, cost control, pricing competitiveness, brand marketing, after-sales service, and user experience. XPeng Motors has achieved remarkable results. Due to its solid technological foundation, in May this year, XPeng Motors signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Volkswagen on electric and electronic architecture technology. Its market-priced products, ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 yuan, balance practicality, aesthetics, and cost-effectiveness.

In many respects, XPeng shines brightest for its consistent investment in technology and intelligence since the company's inception. This includes the advanced nature of its autonomous driving assistant systems, the user experience in its smart cockpit, smoothness and functionality of its in-car operating systems, and more. XPeng was the first to introduce highway autonomous driving assistance, the first to employ voice communication and assistants, the first to equip its vehicles with LiDAR, and the first to utilize urban high-definition maps.

Last year, the company rolled out XNGP（XNGP is a leading intelligent assisted driving system , allowing the vehicle to autonomously execute many driving maneuvers on urban roads without the need for high-precision maps) in 50 cities, and by January this year, the service expanded to 243 cities.

In 2024, as consumers increasingly pursue a better consumption experience, companies are paying more attention to the smart technology sector. However, XPeng foresaw this trend a decade ago. With the company nearing its tenth anniversary and having weathered many ups and downs, it continues to progress determinedly.

Success in history has always emerged in a spiral upward trend. The surging waves of new forces have arrived, but we were prepared at the onset of this surge. Nowadays, more and more “ships” are sailing into this blue ocean, but only the truly robust will reach the far shore.

This is a company that stands firm in the present and looks forward to the future.

People Here

In Xpeng's values, two aspects particularly resonate with me: simplicity and like-mindedness. Here, one encounters no convoluted interpersonal entanglements but a gathering of those pursuing their dreams. There are outstanding campus recruits who have risen four ranks in five years; the capable will indeed find their opportunities. The company offers a wide array of club activities such as board games, football (soccer), badminton, swimming, etc., enabling you to relax and unwind with your colleagues after work.

Of course, what I treasure the most are the valuable mentors and friends that I have met and the times we have spent pursuing our dreams together. I have experienced bitterness, fatigue, and confusion, but also sheer joy.

When this company invite you to come and join to define something, it truly offers you an opportunity to realize your full potential. And together with supportive teammates, you will work with one heart and one mind to achieve your dreams.